Track-sander.



0. W. IVEISSNER.

TRACK SANDER.

APPLICATON FILED JUNE 26.1915.'

Patented 0015.31, 1916 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

W. IVIEISSNER..

TRACK SANDER.

APPLICATION FILED IUNE 26,1915.

Patented oct. 31,1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

f Wm 05 T m MM MM M L m m T. o

OTTO WILLIAM MEISSNIER;A OF MONTREAL, QUEBEC, CANADA.

TRACK-SANDER.

raoaari.

'and' appertains particularly to devices wherein the sand is discharged Iupon the track byvair or other pressure.

A difficulty experienced with track sanders of the identified type as heretofore constructed has been the frequent clogging of .the sand delivery pipe from the sand box to the track, such clogging being due to the fact that a residue of the sand from the box remains in the delivery pipe after the application of the device by the operator, the residue being such as to form a sand plug 4which retards subsequent discharges and this retardation, even-if but momentary, is

likely to have serious consequences.

An object of this invention, therefore, is to prevent the yformation of sand plugs in the delivery pipe. v,

lnother difficulty experienced withl both hand operated and fluid pressure operated track sanders `is that water, being splashed upon the delivery pipe runs down same and in the cold weather freezes up the discharge lend. of the pipe and another object of this invention is to avoid this freezing ofthe'delivery pipe by the provision of'a novel nozzle which drains off .any water or splashingsv which may run down the delivery pipe and before such water reaches the discharge end of the delivery pipe.

Furthermore while ithas been the practice t apply the delivery pipe of a track sander so that it will deliver the sand in advance of the car wheel and close to the meeting point of the wheel and rail, yet such delivery pipe does not follow the wheel when the car is rounding a Curve and a further object of this invention is to so mount the delivery pipe of a track sander `thatthe relative position of the discharge end of the delivery pipe with that of a car` wheel remains constant irrespective of the relative position of the wheel-and car.v

The above with further objects and advantages will be' hereinafter more fully devSpecification of Letters Patent.

Ilateiiterl Oct, 3l, lltllfi.

Application filed .Tune 26, 1915. Serial No. 36,596.

' scribed and particularly.pointed out by the appended claims. For full comprehension, however, of my invention reference shouldv be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part o'f this specification, in which similar `reference characters indicate the same parts and wherein Figure l is a side elevation, partly in vertical section,- of inyim'provd track sanding device andillustrating its application to a car; Fig. 2 is a vertical section on line 2 2 Fig..l'; and Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail vertical section of the sand box and adjacent parts.

Referring now to these drawings, 2 indicates the sand box which is suitably mounted preferably vertically in the car and el'ends down below the floor 3 thereof, the bottom of the box being closed and the open top having a 'hinged cover. 4 adapted to be clamped tightly over the top opening and being provided with a gasket 5 to form an air tight joint.v A sand delivery pipe 6 excover 4 is clamped in place the sand box.

presents an air tight chamber so that when the air is admitted thereto it acts as a pressure accumulator to set up a back pressure which ejects the sand from the box to the i delivery pipe. p

In the preferred construction the inner opeii end Saof the sand delivery pipe isl disposed at aboutthe center of the sand box and such pipe extends outwardly through the side wall of the latter at substantially right angles to the vertical axis of the box, the air pipe extending inwardly as at 9 through the side wall, substantially parallel to and above the sand pipe and beyond the open end S21, such air pipe turning down-.

wardly and. continuing as at 10` in thevertical line of the box through the bottom of and to the exterior of the latter where it isclosed by a removable cap or plug l1, such downwardly extending portion 10 having a nozzle 12 set therein at a point opposite the opening 83. The nozzle extends toward but is spacedfrom the opening 8a1 and the orifice of such nozzle is in the same plane as and concentric with opening.

The communicating port 13 between the nozzle and air pipe is, as usual, of lesser ca pacity Ethan the air pipe so as to conserve the air supply and to avoid the blocking of such port by scale or other foreign particles y"which may bel carried along the' air pipe, the

continuation lO'fis provided Ito' form a trap into which such relatively Aheavy foreign larging the portion 10 from a'point above the nozzle, the bore ofthe fair pipebeing eccentrically disposed relatively to-.the trap and the nozzle leading from the far 4side of ,l

the latter With respect to the air pipe.

When' the valve 7 controlling the' passage .fthrough theair pipe is opened thev air is ejected from nozzle 12 and sand from the box is discharged through pipe 6 and upon A. thev track, the frictionv set up in such pipe,

if added to bya cloggingof thefsand, even although butfa slight. obstruction, causing 30- the air to bank up rearwardly through the vpipe and so accumulate in the-sand box until a suiiicient back pressure'is established to overcome-jthe'frictional resistance and the obstruction, it-being bbvious that this back pressure will. accumulate inthe box oWingto the fact' that the inner-'end of the delivery pipe is open to said box. In'thisaivay. the possibility is avoided of the sand so clogging the discharge `pipe as to render'it inoperative, even although. the latter be disposed -horizontally for a considerable'distance andthisfestablishment of a back pressure is of l A vparticular advantage should the sand ypipe ESIS become frozen up as then the air accumu lates -in the boxuntil such time as the'pressure is sufficient to blow'the ice formation 'out of the pipe.

. .Upon closing valve 7a and shutting off the air supply the, established back pressure in thebox, if maintained, Would continue to eject thesand and upon diminishing to an .inadequate sand ejecting pressure would produce .a sand residue in the discharge pipe v suiiicient to form a clogging plug b ut to secure the advantage ofthe back pressure and avoid the disadvantage just described I pro videmeansfor relieving vthe'back pressure simultaneously With the shutting off of the air supply and particularly for relieving vsuch back pressure at a point .adjacent the opening 8ak of the sandpipe so that the latter is instantly relieved of pressure the .instant the-.air supply from pi e 7 ceases'.

The means for relievingl t e back pressure consists of a relief passage extending from which the back pressure exhausts to the at-A mosphere. To provide for the instant relief.

ofI the pressure about the discharge pipe opening, which relief would otherwise be retarded by the sand, I` provide an open-eiided pipe 18 Whichextends from avpoint adjacent to andat one side of the opening 8 to a point adjacent the inner end of pipe- 15 and in the preferred construction the upper end of pipe 18 and inner end of pipe 15 are disposed above tlie highest line of sand repose, said inner end being upturned as at 15 to lprevent sand reaching and collecting upon the seat of valve 16.

As above stated and to secure the desired result. the valves 7 and .16 are operated simultaneously and'in order to conveniently7 operate same I utilize a double valve casing divided by partition 19 having at one sidev llever 20 connected by links 21 to a foot lever 22.

The inner portion 6l ofthe sand ldelivery pipe 6 or that portion adjacent fthe boX extends outwardly in a horizontal line from the sand box, then laterally atl23 for a short distance and continues horizontally, this offset portion 2.3 preferably inclining up- Wardly and outwardly and constituting a trap for preventing the passage b v gravity of sand through the delivery pipe. The air pressure is necessary to force the sand up through the offset portion and upon the simultaneous shutting of of the air and relief of back pressure the discharge of lsand ceases, the upper end of the offset portion being upwardly enlarged at 24 and havinga shelf 25 at the bottom thereof forming l a pocket wherein a quantity of sandl accumulates during the discharge and protects the bend of the pipe fiom Wear. The inner poi'- tion of the discharge' pipe is extended slightly beyond the bottom of the offset 23 to also form a pocket for the reception of a quantity of sand and consequent protection of the pipe at the bend, a removable plug 26 being inserted in the end' of the portion 6n to permit of the latter being cleaned. y

Thesand discharge pipe extends beneath the eariooring to the Wheel truck 27 swiveled to the car and the pipe is attached at 28 to said truck, the discharge end of the pipe extending downwardly and being branched transf versely of the car at 29 to provide discharge openings justin front of the wheels and close to the rails and the meeting points of the latterand the wheels, it being preferred to locate the discharge ends of the pipe Just in front of the -second pair of ivheels from the forward end of the car and so enable the iirst wheels to `clean the rails and prepare the latter for effective sanding,

The branched discharge end of the sand pipe is rigidly braced and suspended from the trunk by a hanger 30 so as to constantly maintain the outlet ends of the pipe in position in front of the wheels and the portion. of such pipe disposed between the wheel truck and sand box is upheld by flexible .hangers 3l and provided with a movable connection with the truck consisting preferably of flexible lengths 31 and 32 set in the pipe adjacent the truck and box respectively, this movable connection permitting the discharge end of the pipe to mover with the truck and accommodating the consequent relative movement of such discharge end with respect to the main .portion of the pipe when the car negotiates a curve. In this way the relative position of the wheels and discharge end of the sand pipe `is constantly maintained irrespective of the relative position of the wheels and car.

Each of the discharge ends of the sand pipe is provided with a nozzle 33, such nozzle having` parallel interior surfaces and being formed with transverse .end fianges 34 which taper downwardly toa point 35,1 the discharge opening` of the nozzle also converging at' the lower side. The flanges 3% are disposed transversely to the sand pipe and form exterior ridges or baffles thereon so that any water thatmay run down the exterior of 4the pipe is caught by the battles and drips from thepoints 35,being thus prevented from reaching the discharge opening and in order to avoid the clogging of the latter should moisture, drawn therein by capillary action, tend to cake any sand that may be therein, I have enlarged at 36 the bore of the discharge ends-of the said pipe."

What IV claim is:

1. In a track sander, a pressure retaining sand box, a sand ejecting device, means for supplying air pressure to the sand ejecting device and building up a back pressure in the -boxand means for removing the back pressure at substantially the same instant that the air pressure is shut off from the sand ejecting device.

2. In a track sander. a pressure retaining sand box,-a sand ejecting device located in the lower portion of said box, a sand delivery pipe connected to said ejecting device, means for applying air pressure to the said ej ecting device and building up a back presv sand and having a-sand delivery pipe adjacent the bottom, means for tightly sealing all openings in said box except sand delivery pipe, means for supplying air pressure and sand to said sand delivery pipeA and building up a back` pressure inthe box, and means for instantly removing the back pressure at the entrance of said s-and dclivery pipe when the supply of air pressure is shut off from said sand delivery pipe.

4. In a track sander, a sand box having a sai'i'd discharge opening, a pipe, lor supplying*y air to the sand box to eject the sand, means for opening and closing the passage through the pipe, an air conduit leading` trom the sand box to the atmosphere vand means for opening and closing the passage through -such conduit alternately with the opening and closing of the pipe.

5. In a track sander. a sand box having a sand dischargeopening, a pipe for supplying air to the sand box to eject the sand, means for opening and closing the passage through the pipe, an air conduit leading from the sand box to the'atniosphere, means for opening and closing the passage through such conduit alternately with the opening and closing of the pipe and a device for simultaneously operating the means of the pipe and conduit. A

G. In a track sandei, a sand box having an air tight cover and a sand discharge opening, a pipe for suppying air to the sand box, such sand box being air-tight with the exception' of the discharge opening and adapted to accumulate a back pressure therein', an air conduit leading from the sandbox to the atmosphere,means normally closing such conduit an'd adapted to open same to relieve the back pressure in the box.

7. In a track sanderJ a sand box having a sand receiving opening and a sand discharge controlling opening, an air tight cover for the receiving 8.. In a track sander, a sand box having av sand receiving opening and a sand discharge opening, an air-tight cover Jfor the receiving opening, a pipe for supplying air to the box to eject the sand, a valve in the air supply p ipe, aconduit different from the .sand receiving opening, discharge opening in said conduit and means for simultaneously and. air pipe, such conduit leading from the intenior of the box to the atmosphere, a valve and alternately opening and closingsaid valves.

l9. In a track sander, a sand-boxhaving a sandtdiseharge-opening, a pipe forfsupply# ing air .to lthe boxl to eject the sand,a.pipe v :located within the box and extending from a -point ,near the opening ,of the air pipe into the latter toa point above the line of sandrepose, a relief pipe communicating at one'end with the atmosphere and at the op# a sand dischargeopening,

posite end with the interiorof the box at a pointabove the line of sand repose, and

v,means forcontrolling the passage through the air pipe and relief pipe. 4

, 10. In a ltrack sander, a sand box having p il a pipe -for supplying air'tothe box to eject the sand, a valve controlling the passage through the air pipe,

"an open-ended pipe located within the box vand extending from a point near the opening of the. air pipe into the latter to a point above the line of ,sandv repose, a relief pipe communicating at one end with the atmosphere and at the opposite end vwith the interior of the box at a point above the line of sand repose, a valve controlling the passage `through the' relief pipe and a double bell!y crank lever adaptedvto simultaneously and I wardly extending portionof the air pipe vand a nozzle set in such downwardly`extending portion at a point opposite the inner opening'of the sand pipe, the orifice of such nozzle being in the same plane as, spaced a short distance from and' concentric I with said inner opening of the sand pipe.

12. In a track sander, ak sand box, a s -and discharge pipe extending outwardly from a point inside the box, a pipe for supplying air Y to the box to eject the sand, said air pipc extending horizontally inwardly to a point beyond the inner endof the sand pipe where it continues downwardly `through the bottom of the" box, a removable plug at the lower end of the downwardlyextending portion, a nozzleset inthe downwardly extending portior of. the pipe and a shelf in the air pipe and ff'disposed just Nabove the entrance to the nozzle.

13. Inv a track sander, a vertical sand box, a sand discharge pipe extending horizontally outwardly froma point inside the box, a pipe for supplying air to th'e box to eject the sand, said air pipe extending horizontally inwardly to a point beyondthe inner end of the sand pipe wherel it continues' downwardly across the inner 'Opening of the sand pipe and through the bottom of the box, being enlarged at a point opposite said Y inner opening, a removable -flug at the .lower end of the downwardly extending portion and a nozzle set in the enlarged portion of the air pipe, the entrance of the nozzle being overhung by the top of the enlarged portion.

14. The combination with a car having a wheel truck swiveled thereto, of a track sander consisting of a sand box, a rigid sand delivery pipe, iiexible hangers suspending the -rigid pipe `from the car, a sand discharge pipe flexible pipe length between the sand box and one end of the rigid pipe and a second flexible length between the opposite end of the pipe and the discharge pipe portionl carried by the truck.

'portion carried rigidly upon the truck, av

15. In a track sander, a sand box, a sand delivery pipe extending from the sand box' and being enlarged near the discharge end, and a nozzle at the discharge end of the sand pipe, said nozzlev having exterior.

flanges which are` disposed transversely to the nozzle and taper downwardly to a point.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

oTTo WILLIAM ianissunn.

Witnesses STANLEY C. KING, FRED J. SEDLY. 

